Aquino to PMA grads: Resist corruption

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City — President Benigno Aquino III on Sunday faced the 196 graduates of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) this year and urged them to resist the temptation of corruption. “Nandito kayo hindi para magpayaman (You are not here to become wealthy)," Aquino told members of the PMA Laon Alab Class in his speech during their commencement exercises here. “Kaharap ko kayo ngayon dahil pinili ninyong magmalasakit sa bayan. Kaya naman umaasa akong kapag may nagbagsak ng isang trak na salapi sa inyong harapan, kaya ninyo itong tanggihan dahil mas namamayani pa rin ang prinsipyong ipinunla sa inyo ng PMA," he added. (You are here because you chose to serve the country. That’s why I expect that even if someone dumps a truckload of money in front of you, you will resist the temptation and hold on to the values you learned in PMA.) In jest, he also asked them not to emulate officers who have amnesia — an apparent swipe at former Armed Forces comptroller Lt. Gen. Jacinto Ligot, a PMA graduate accused of amassing millions of pesos worth of ill-gotten wealth while in active service.

Ligot, during Senate hearings, had failed to answer questions regarding his properties abroad and the payoffs he allegedly received, saying he couldn’t remember such things. “Itatanong niyo sa sarili nyo, kayo ba ay tagasunod ni [Filipino hero] Gregorio del Pilar na tinitingala ng taumbayan o kayo ay gagaya don sa mga puro amnesiya na lang ang napala?" he said. (Ask yourself, will you emulate Gregorio del Pilar whom the country looks up to, or those officers with amnesia?) Aquino’s remark elicited laughter and applause from the audience, composed of the families and relatives of the graduates and some ranking military officials. During his speech, Aquino reiterated that his administration will correct the wrong decisions and policies of the previous government, which he said failed to pursue corrupt officials. “Makakaasa kayong mananatiling pursigido ang inyong pamahalaan na isulong ang mga repormang nagtataguyod sa interes lamang ng sambayanan. Dati namayani ang sistema kung saan tila nahihikayat ang kaliwa’t kanan na pagnanakaw dahil wala naman pong napaparusahan," he said. (Rest assured that your government will continue to pursue the reforms that will benefit only the public. A system that seemed to encourage corruption prevailed in the previous administration because no one was punished.) In his valedictory speech, Cadet First Class Angelo Edward Parras said he is confident that the AFP will be able to surpass the “turbulent storm" currently hounding it. “Amid the events in Egypt and elsewhere in the recent weeks, as well as the developments in Libya in the recent days and turbulent storm rocking the AFP over alleged corruption . . . I have a deep and abiding faith in the men and women of the PMA and the Armed Forces of the Philippines," he said. Parras also said the PMA and AFP should not be dragged into the mud just because of one or two men who did the country wrong. “We should not destroy the institution because one men or two men. We must also remember that there are thousands of heroes here produced by the institution itself," Parras said, quoting the oldest living PMA alumnus, retired Army Col. Reynaldo Bocalbo. — KBK, GMA News